Native Copper sheet with Shale

Item Description

Micro copper crystals with a very bright, rich patina comprise this sculptural, elongated, large, 2-sided, partially layered native copper sheet. The impressive and colorful piece is from the well-known and extinct White Pine Mine of Michigan's famous Copper Country. Scattered pieces of embedded shale on both sides add contrast and color. The piece looks good from either side. Native copper was deposited in shale beds of the Nonesuch Shale, explaining the sheet-like form. The mine was the only major producer from the Nonesuch Shale in Copper Country. The rest of the mines produced copper and silver from fissures, amygdaloidal basalt and conglomerate. The White Pine was the last major copper mine to close in the historic Copper Country in 1995. Large sheets like this are now harder to obtain on the market compared to even a decade ago.